In the Caverns

Luffy finally reached the end of the stairs, and entered the next room.

"Wow!" was all he could say in his amazement. Chopper poked his head out.

The room they were in was so big they couldn't see the other walls. Mountains of gold with the highest at nearly 300 feet tall were all over the room.

"If I had all this I would be rich enough to buy the whole Grand Line!" Luffy exclaimed. A greedy look then popped into Chopper's eyes, and he dashed over to the nearest chest.

"Chopper stop!" Luffy yelled, and Chopper halted his jump right before he touched the chest, he landed on a red an orange carpet with a fringe all round it, with four large tassels.

"Keep your hands off anything you see!" Luffy instructed harshly," That lamp has to be around here somewhere!" Chopper dragged his paw over his face and followed Luffy with a frown.

The carpet he was on suddenly moved. It seemed to look up, and then literally flew after the duo. It suddenly sneaked up behind Chopper, who seemed to sense it, but when he turned around, the carpet fell back to the floor. Chopper shrugged, and continued after Luffy. The carpet then rose up, and began following them again. Chopper abruptly turned around, but then the carpet rolled up and leaned against the wall. Chopper nervously ran up to Luffy, and began tugging on his pants.

"Cut it out Chopper!" Luffy said. Chopper groaned, and with a frown, followed Luffy. The carpet unfurled itself, seemed to tiptoe across the floor, and then hovered over and tapped Chopper on the shoulder. Chopper turned around, only to tapped again by the carpet. Chopper took a kung-fu pose, but the carpet exited view again, and then pulled off his hat. Chopper made face, and then finally turned around to face the carpet.

Chopper cried and the carpet darted away. Chopper tackled Luffy on the back.

"Chopper are you out of your mind?" Luffy demanded, but Chopper stretched open Luffy's eyelids and pointed too the carpet. Luffy gasped in awe.

"A magic carpet!" Luffy murmured, and he gestured for the carpet to come out. The carpet shyly walked out using its lower tassels. It picked up Chopper's hat and dusted it off. It then hovered over and offered it to Chopper, causing the animal to scuttle up Luffy's shoulder.

"Calm down Chopper, what can it do to us?" Luffy said in an attempt to calm his pet down, he took the hat," Thank you!" And he gave it to Chopper. Chopper slammed it back on his head and shook his fist.

The carpet hung its "head" low and began to sulk away.

"Don't go yet!" Luffy called," You can help us out!" The carpet then twisted and flailed happily, before wrapping around Luffy.

"We're looking for a lamp," Luffy explained, the carpet then waved its tassels for them to follow it," It looks like he knows the way!" Luffy then began to follow the soaring carpet.

The carpet eventually lead them out of the treasure chamber and into a tunnel. They then broke out of it and into another large cavern with a lake in the center. In the middle was a tall rock with a beam of light shinning down upon it. Luffy got on one of the rocks leading to the island.

"Stay here!" he instructed to Chopper before beginning to jump from rock to rock. Chopper frowned and his eyes began to wander, before they set upon a sapphire the size of football lying in the arms of a statue of an anthropomorphic Sea King. Chopper smiled greedily at the enormous gem.

Luffy finally reached the island, before he began climbing the stairs.

Back on the level, the carpet looked around for Chopper and then saw him lounging towards the sapphire. Shocked, he grabbed Chopper by the horns, trying to pull him back.

Luffy reached the top, and saw an old brass lamp on a table made of stone. Luffy gently picked it up and laughed to himself.

"You telling me we went through all of this just to get thi...," as he finished turning around, he saw Chopper break free from Carpet's grasp and he stopped talking.

"Chopper stop!!" Luffy yelled, but it was too late, Chopper picked up the sapphire from the statue's claws.

"FOOLS!!" the cave thundered, Chopper cringed with his mistake, Carpet grabbed his "head" with despair, and Luffy looked around him in shock," You have tried to steal the Cursed Riches! Now never again shall you breathe, EVER!!" Chopper tried to set the sapphire back in the Sea King's hands, but the statue melted away into nothing, and the animal began to run away, plowing through Carpet in the process. The stand where the lamp once was exploded into fire. Luffy began to run down the stairs, but they collapsed as the cave began to fall to pieces and the water turned to lava, and Luffy slid down. Eventually he slid off, and began to fall into the lava.

Carpet then caught him, and began flying around with Luffy on him. Chopper had himself cornered as he tried to get across the rocks, as the rocks were bursting into lava. Chopper called for Luffy, who pulled Carpet to go faster. Just when Chopper's rock was about to explode, Luffy grabbed him and pulled him on.

A wave of lava then soared up from behind them, and the trio reentered the tunnel they came in from.

"Carpet can you go faster?!" Luffy cried. They soared through the tunnel, and a boulder then flew over their heads just as Luffy and Chopper managed to duck. When Luffy held up his head, Chopper was strongly clinging to it.

"Chopper, we don't panic yet!" Luffy yelled, as he pulled Chopper off of him. The two then saw a wall coming on them fast.

"You can panic now!" Luffy said weakly. Carpet then dived, and found the door that lead to the treasure chamber. As they soared into it, bursts of lava exploded around them. A pair of hands made of magma even tried to grab them.

Outside the caverns, the head was roaring as it began to collapse. Crocodile shielded his face and looked on impatiently.

Carpet soared towards the entrance, but was knocked down by a rock. Chopper managed to scuttle up, but Luffy just grabbed the rocks, preventing him from falling. The rock fell to the ground, pinning Carpet.

Luffy looked up to see Crocodile (still in disguise).

"Help me!" he called.

"Give me the lamp!' Crocodile demanded.

"I'm slipping, give me some help!" Luffy cried again.

"Fine, but first give me the lamp!" Crocodile ordered again. Luffy got out the lamp, and reached it forward. Crocodile reached himself, and just managed to get his hand on it. He grabbed it and retracted back and laughed to himself, holding his prize high.

"YES!!" he yelled, still laughing," After so long!" He put the lamp in his robes, and turned around to see Chopper trying to help Luffy by using his cane. Crocodile kicked Chopper and away and pulled Luffy up by his arm.

"What's going on?!" Luffy asked. Crocodile smiled cruelly.

"I'm giving you your reward!" he answered, he then let his sleeve fall, revealing his hook, which he held up, and allowed his true voice to reveal, and he made a calm face," A reward that shall last you a long time." Luffy looked on with horror, as Crocodile braced to bring it down upon him. Chopper then scrambled up and chomped Crocodile's arm. Crocodile yelled in pain, causing him to drop Luffy. He grabbed the reindeer, glared at him, and threw him after Luffy.

Carpet finally managed to free himself from his rock, and caught Luffy, but not before he hit his head. He also managed to catch Chopper as well, but they quickly fell to the ground.

The cave finally collapsed into itself, and Crocodile was knocked to his feet. He watched as the orbs disappeared into the sand, and he laughed. He tore off the beard, and slicked his hair back.

"It is mine!" he said excitedly, as he began to dig through his pockets," At last!" However, his smile faded when he felt nothing.

"What, where is it?" he asked," No!" Upon determining he no longer had it, he collapsed to his knees and raised his fist and hook to the sky.

"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" he roared.

Back in Alubrana, in the palace, the king entered Vivi's room.

"Vivi!" he called softly. Vivi was sitting her back facing him, with Carue in front of her. The king approached her.

"My sweet, what is it?" he asked gently. Vivi turned to him, still with tears. She sniffed.

"Crocodile did something, terrible," she said weakly. The king sat next to her.

"It's alright, we shall set it straight," he said kindly," Now tell me what happened." Vivi turned to her father, and leaned on his shoulder.